🔗 Share this article

Relative's Picture

One 14-year-old boy was discovered deceased only a few days following being falsely accused of taking the ashes of a dead baby during a break-in, a coroner's inquiry has learned.

Tragic Finding

The young boy's mother and father discovered his remains in his bedroom at his Connah's Quay residence on 19 November 2021.

False Accusations Start

The inquest learned how his mother got a message on 8 November 2021 via social media, from a woman inquiring if her son was her child. The message added: "Inform him appreciation for breaking into my apartment."

In a statement read to the proceedings, the mother said the woman had been in the news, asserting her infant's ashes had been taken in a break-in - a allegation which was false.

Police Inquiry

An official inquiry from police later determined the alleged burglary victim had "lied to police" and "it now appears that the property was not taken in the first place".

News coverage about the alleged taken remains attracted online comments, and although the teenager was not named in the posts, his parent said individuals "knew it was him".

The "social media content were extremely distressing", she stated.

Emotional Wellbeing Impact

She added that Kai had been identified with moderate ADHD, and as part of that disorder, other individuals' opinions genuinely mattered to him.

"This must have affected him severely," she commented, "especially when this was untrue".

Kai was detained at home, but no evidence was discovered. He was taken to a law enforcement facility and later freed under investigation.

Police said they would be in touch, the inquest learned, but had not reached out to the relatives by the time of his passing.

Isolation and Worry

His mother said Kai "withdrew into himself" after the arrest and "repeatedly inquired me whether I had heard anything from the police", because his ADHD meant sometimes "certain periods could feel like days".

When she spoke to him about the supposed burglary, she said her son told her he had gone into the house because the resident who lived there had said he could utilize the bathroom anytime he needed, but refuted removing anything.

Online Harassment

In a combined testimony between her and her spouse, Mrs Lloyd said her son was being harassed online after the allegations.

The proceedings heard that one young adult encouraged the teenager to end his life.

She had no worries on the night before he died, explaining how she had heard him "laughing and joking".

She portrayed him as a "caring, affectionate" boy, and said her "relatives is completely shattered".

He had been "clearly hiding his concerns", she stated, noting that he could not bear to have anybody "have negative thoughts of him".

School Reaction

The inquest heard from school personnel at Connah's Quay secondary school.

On November 8th, she "heard some students talking that Kai had been detained and that was the initial I heard".

"He informed me... he'd was innocent," she added.

After the discussion, the staff member said she called the family's parents' landline and provided a voicemail saying she had communicated to Kai about the accusations.

The court learned his family said they did not receive that message.

Formal Finding

Senior investigator told the inquest he would wait for documents regarding what enhancements had been made to dealing with suspects with ADHD, before determining whether he should make a prevention of subsequent fatalities report.

Providing a narrative finding, he stated: "Around 8 November 2021, unsupported allegations were made against the teenager, a young individual.

"Likely untruths were subsequently embellished and exaggerated through the medium of social media.

"During 11 November, he was interviewed by the police and after his interview he was released while investigations continued."

The coroner concluded: "There is no proof that the actions or failures of any agency caused or added to his passing and although it was the result of a self-inflicted act it is impossible to determine his intent."